1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a multimedia architecture for providing interactive video programming to an individual subscriber, for example to a television set, and, more particularly, directed to a multimedia architecture that provides on demand programming interleaved with secondary programming, such as advertising, to a subscriber wherein the content of the secondary programming is dependent upon information gathered about the viewer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Current interactive applications are typically limited to the providing of on-demand movies, and games, via existing cable systems and telephone systems. For example, Bell Atlantic is currently testing an on-demand movie system wherein subscribers are able to, for a fee, select a movie, from a list of movies. The selected movie is then transmitted to the subscribers television set.
Currently, commercial messages, i.e. advertising, are delivered to a subscriber's TV from centralized broadcast facilities at either a national or local a level. The national and local providers simply fill-in designated, time-based, gaps in a primary video program with commercials. The commercials are, at best, picked based upon a demographic profile of a probable cross-section of viewers of the primary video programming. U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,098 to Carles, incorporated herein by reference, sets forth a device and method for distributing commercial messages to an individually addressable subscriber terminal on a network. In general, a database is generated using standard known poling techniques having data regarding each subscriber to the network. This database is generated by, for example, mail-in responses, telephone poling or in-person surveying. After the database has been generated, subscribers receive individualized commercial messages during the normal gaps provided in the primary video programming. Carles further sets forth a method for matching the commercial messages to the appropriate viewer based upon the information stored in the database.
However, to date, there has been no effective apparatus or method for providing interactive advertising or other multimedia services in conjunction with a primary video program. Further, there have been no provisions for utilizing the subscriber's television set to obtain statistical data regarding the subscribers. Additionally, there has been no effective apparatus or method for providing different commercials based upon the images being displayed in the primary video programming.